DTC Product Drop Playbook

Who this is for

Direct-to-consumer brands releasing a limited product, collection or collaboration on their own store.

Before you start

• The product details, release date and quantities you are prepared to make public.
• A product page that can go live before the drop, with a sign-up for release notifications.
• A clear policy on restocks, returns and shipping for the drop.
• Photos of the product that you own.

Step 1

Plan the before, during and after

Decide what content each stage of the drop needs.

1. 01List the questions people ask before a drop: what it is, when, how much, how to get notified.
2. 02List the questions after it: sizing, care, restocks, how it compares with earlier releases.
3. 03Decide which questions get an article and which belong on the product page.
4. 04Set publication dates for each piece relative to the drop date.

Step 2

Create the drop story and guides

Write content that explains the product, not only the hype.

1. 01Write a story article about the product: why it was made, what it is made of, who it is for.
2. 02Write a sizing or fit guide where it matters, using measurements from the product itself.
3. 03Write care instructions as their own page, linked from the product page.
4. 04Keep every date and detail consistent with the product page.

Step 3

Publish on a countdown

Release content in the order people need it.

1. 01Publish the story article and notification sign-up ahead of the drop.
2. 02Publish sizing and care guides on drop day, linked from the product page.
3. 03Update the product page and articles as soon as the drop sells out or a restock is confirmed.
4. 04Leave the story article live afterwards as a record of the release.

Step 4

Measure beyond launch day

Look at what happened after the burst.

1. 01Compare notification sign-ups from the story article with those from social posts.
2. 02Check which guides are still found in search weeks after the drop.
3. 03Note the questions customer service received and answer them in the next drop’s content.
4. 04Mark sold-out pages clearly rather than leaving them looking available.

Common pitfalls

• Content that announces the drop and nothing else, which has no use once the date passes.
• Pages left saying “coming soon” after the product has sold out.
• Sizing advice that contradicts the product page.

Where Opus Rank helps

Tutorials for the parts of this plan you can do in Opus Rank.

• Create a content brief

  Set the angle for the story article before it is generated.

• Create and use brand voices

  Keep the drop content in your brand’s own voice.

• Publish an article to your CMS

  Send articles to your store’s blog through a connected CMS.

Related playbooks

• Online Store Launch Playbook
• Holiday Season Campaign Playbook
• Subscription Box Launch Playbook